China will stick to its dynamic zero COVID-19 policy as cases continue to spread, said Mi Feng, spokesperson for the National Health Commission.

Mi said at a news conference on Tuesday that as of Monday, 1,251 new domestic confirmed cases and 23,295 new local asymptomatic infections have been reported.

The commission has sent more than 40,000 medical personnel from 16 provinces to aid Shanghai. Together, they have the ability to test 2.38 million tubes of nucleic acid samples per day, he said.

In Shanghai, 986 cases have been cured and discharged and 4,873 asymptomatic infections have been released from medical observation since Feb 26, Mi said.

He said it is necessary for people to vaccinate against the novel coronavirus, especially the elderly.

Mi added that local governments should enhance their nucleic acid testing capabilities and speed up the construction of makeshift hospitals to curb social transmission of the novel coronavirus as soon as possible.